Cord cutter



Dec. 13, 1955 R. L. SMITH 2,726,448

CORD CUTTER Filed March 3, 1953 F 6 26 FIG. 4

INVENTOR P001527 ,4- M l/ 1 Mf/AM United States Patent Ofifice 2,726,448 Patented Dec. 13, 1955 CORD CUTTER Robert L. Smith, Kew Gardens, N. Y., assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 3, 1953, Serial No. 339,959

3 Claims. (Cl. 30-290) This invention relates to a cord cutter suitable for the cutting of braided cotton or nylon cord such as is used in Venetian blinds.

The cord cutter of the present invention is of the type in which a stationary blade is mounted within guides which more or less guard the blade and protect the operator against accidentally cutting himself. Cutting of cord is effected by moving the cord against the blade.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a cord cutter of the replaceable blade type wherein the blade is so guarded that it is almost impossible for the operator to accidentally be cut, wherein the blade is securely held but may be readily and safely replaced, and wherein the body and mounting flanges may easily be fabricated of a unitary sheet metal stamping; and to generally improve cord cutters of the above-mentioned type.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. Where parts are, for clarity and convenience, referred to on the basis of their oriented position shown in the accompanying drawing, no limitation as to positioning of the entire structure is to be implied, since it will be understood that the entire structure may be inverted or that it may be used in any inclined position. Also in both the description and the claims, parts at times may be identified by specific names for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a cord cutter according to the present invention, a cord being shown in cross section positioned for cutting.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the cord cutter of Fig. l, a cord being shown positioned for cutting.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear elevation of the cord cutter of Fig. l, the cord being omitted in this view.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a double-edged razor blade of the type employed as the cutting blade in the cord cutter of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, the blade being shown in position for removal from the cutter.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the cord holder taken generally along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

The cord cutter of the present invention consists of a body or holder 10 which supports a safety razor blade 11 which may be double-edged and of the Gillette type. The holder 10 supports the blade 11 in position for cutting, guides the cord against the blade, and protects against the operators accidentally being cut.

The holder 10 is formed of a unitary sheet metal stamping, the sheet metal being folded back on itself to form two complementary plate portions 12, 12 and the edges of the plate portions remote from the fold being turned outwardly to form a flat mounting flange 13 extending laterally on each side of the plate portions and preferably parallel to the told 15. The mounting flange 13 may be provided with a series of holes 16 for the reception of screws or other fasteners for mounting the cutter in any desired location.

The plate portions 12, 12 are each provided with a slot 17, the slots 17 in the plate portions registering so as to provide a slot for the reception of cord to be cut and extending in a generally straight line from one end of the cord cutter in a direction converging towards the mounting flange 13 adjacent the other end. The cordentering end of the slots 17, 17 may be enlarged by cutting back the plate portions 12, 12 along a line or edge 19 to form an enlarged entrance facilitating entering the cord into the slot and also facilitating removal and replacement of the blade 11 as will be explained.

The blade 11 is received between the plate portions 12, 12, areas 20 and 21 of at least one of the plate portions located adjacent the mounting flange and at the ends of the holder 10 preferably being slightly depressed towards the other plate portion to maintain the remainder of the plate portions slightly spaced and provide clearance for removal or insertion of the blade 11. The blade 11 is so mounted in the holder 10 that one edge 22 of the blade extends diagonally across the slot 17, this edge of the blade preferably also extending generally parallel to the fold 15. The opposite edge 24 of the blade 11 preferably lies substantially in the plane of the mounting flange 13.

The blade 11 is held in position in the holder 10 by a nut and bolt 25 which extends through a central enlargement 26 conventionally found in the longitudinal slot 27 of the blade. Registering slots 29, 29 formed one in each of the plate portions 12, 12 between the slot 17 and the mounting flange 13, and preferably extending generally parallel to the mounting flange, receive a nut and bolt 25, the relationship of the parts being such that the blade is properly positioned for cutting when the bolt is at the end of the slots 29, 29 towards the closed end of the slots 17. Tightening of the nut and bolt 25 draws the plate portions 12, 12 tightly against the sides of the blade 11 so as to hold the blade firmly against movement.

A portion of the metal struck from the plate portions 12, 12 in forming the registering slots 17, 17 may be formed into two outwardly extending flanges or guards 30, 30 extending along an edge of the slots adjacent the blade 11. These guards 30, 30, which may be located on either side of the slots 17, 17, serve to protect the operator against accidentally being cut by the blade and, in addition, aid in maintaining the portion of the cord 28 being cut extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the blade. I

For removal and replacement of the blade 11, the nut and bolt 25 is loosened somewhat to permit the plate portions 12, 12 to spread slightly and release the blade. The blade may then be slid a portion of the way towards the open end of the slot 17, 17 by sliding the nut and bolt to the opposite end of the slots 29, 29 at which time the corner 31 of the blade will be projecting beyond the edges 19, 19 of the plate portions 12, 12. The nut and bolt 25 may then be removed entirely and the corner 31 of the blade grasped and the blade removed entirely from the holder 10.

In replacing the blade 11 within the holder 10, the blade is first partially inserted between the plate portions 12, 12, the longitudinal slot 27 of the blade being generally aligned with the slots 29, 29 of the plate portions 12 by engagement of the edge 24 of the blade against the surface on which the cord cutter is mounted. The blade is inserted sufliciently so that the central enlargement 26 coincides with the registering slots 29, 29 at which time the nut and bolt 25 may be replaced but not tightened. Then 3 by reversing the procedure above outlined, the nut and bolt 25 may be moved to the other end of the slots 29, 29 and tightened so as to again secure the blade within the holder 10.

I claim:

1. A cord cutter, comprising: a body formed of two generally flat sheet metal plate portions, each plate portion having a slot extending in from an edge thereof formed by displacing metal from the plate portions and the slots being generally coincident for passage of a cord to be cut, and a thin blade mounted between the plate portions and having a cutting edge extending diagonally across the slot, a portion of the metal displaced in forming the slots being formed into a flange extending laterally outwardly from the general plane of each plate portion along an edge of the slot adjacent the blade.

2. A cord cutter, comprising: a unitary body formed of sheet metal folded back upon itself along a horizontal line to form two vertical generally parallel, generally rectangular flat plate portions, the edge of each plate portion opposite the fold being turned outwardly and such outwardly turned edges together forming a flat horizontal mounting flange, the plate portions having aligned cord-receiving slots therein extending angularly downwardly and rearwardly from adjacent the upper corner of the forward edge thereof toward the mounting flange, a laterally outwardly extending flange projecting from each plate portion along the lower edge of the slot therein, and a thin blade mounted between the plate portions and having a horizontally positioned cutting edge extending across the slots in the plate portions.

3. A cord cutter, comprising: a unitary body formed of sheet metal folded back upon itself along a horizontal line to form two vertical parallel, generally rectangular fiat plate portions, the edge of each plate portion opposite the fold being turned outwardly and the outwardly turned edges together forming a flat horizontal mounting flange, the plate portions having aligned cord-receiving slots therein extending angularly downwardly and rearwardly from adjacent the upper corner of the forward edge thereof toward the mounting flange and formed by displacing metal from the plate portions, a laterally outwardly extending flange formed of at least a portion of the metal displaced in forming the slots projecting from each plate portion along the lower edge of the slot therein, and a thin blade mounted between the plate portions and having a horizontally positioned cutting edge extending across the slots in the plate portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 932,203 Weisrnan Aug. 24, 1909 1,687,869 Marston Oct. 16, 1928 2,312,143 Atkins Feb. 23, 1943 2,593,601 Pollak Apr. 22, 1952 

